Mulch for promoting growth of plants



y 1931. w. M. FLORING Y 1,807,205-

MULCH FOR PROMOTING GROWTH OF PLANTS Filed April 2 l, 1928 Patented May 26, 1931 rare near Fri WILLIAM E. FLORING, 0F NEWTON CENTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNGR, BY. MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE RUBEROID 00., 0F BOUND BROOK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPQBQAA- TION 0E NEWJERSEY Application filed April 21,

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to improvements in mulches for promoting growth of plants. It has been found that by placing strips of waterproof, opaque paper between rows of plants, that growth of weeds between the rows is prevented, moisture is stored in the layer of the soil directly beneath the surface thereof where it is available to nourish the plant roots, and heat is absorbed by the paper and conducted into the soil. The use of such mulch strips not only materially increases the growth and yield of the plants, but also eliminates the labor and expense of keeping down weeds by hand work.

If these paper mulches are to be fully effective for their purposes, it is essential that they shall be of strong construct-ion and be anchored to the ground with sufiicient security to prevent them from being torn or dis placed by wind. A purpose of the present in: vention, therefore, is 0 provide a strong paper mulch having provision to resist tearing thereof, and particularly adjacent devices which are used to anchor the strip to the ground. Another purpose is to provide a paper mulch sheet which can be longitudinally cut and divided into strips, which may each have reinforcing elements appropriately located with relation to edges of the strip. And still another purpose is to provide a mulch strip having filaments, atleast one of which is located a substantial distance from an edge of the strip to allow trimming of the strip to suit different spacings of plant The character of the invention may be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

ig. 1 is a plan of a portion of the mulch sheet embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan showing mulch strips applied to the ground in spaces between plant rows 3'is a view of one of the strips, showing the layer construction thereof and the filaments between the outer layers and embedded in the intermediate layer;

' ground without hindrance.

1928. Serial so. 271,778.

comprising outer layers 3 and 5 of strong,-

tough paper, an intermediate layer 7 of black asphaltum or other suitable weather and moisture resisting adhesive, and filaments 9 between the outer layers and embedded in the intermediate layer and located in somewhat from the edges of the strip. These filaments may be made of cotton, ute, wire, or other suitable material.

In some instances it may be desirable to provide a mulch sheet 11 (Fig. 1) having a width appropriate for wide spacing of plant rows, and so constructed that it may be severed along a longitudinal line 13 to provide a pair of strips suitable for nearer rows.

For example, the overall width of the sheet 7 might be 36" with the capacity for division into two strips, each having a width of 18".

This sheet may have filaments 15, one adjacent one of the edges of the sheet and the other adjacent the cutting line 13, and other filaments 17, one adjacent the opposite edge of the sheet, and the other adjacent the cutting line, said filaments 17 being located to provide substantial margins Which will allow trimming of the strips to suit different spacings of plant rows.

The strips may be sold in rolls. In'applying the same to the land to be planted, a strip may be unrolled to mark a row, and after the seed has'been planted, another stri may be unrolled along and parallel to the hint strip and with a space between the strips sufiicient to allow the plants to come up through the Successive strips may similarly be laid'on the ground as re quired. 1

To secure the strips tothe ground, staples 19 (Figs. 2 and 5), preferably five or six inches long, may be driven through the strips at suitable intervals, so that the staples will straddle the filaments. Each filament produces ridges 21 (Fig. 4) at opposite sides of the strip,

so that the location of the filaments may be easily ascertained and application of the staples facilitated.

The filaments are secured by the adhesive black asphaltum between the outer paper layers, and when the staples are driven through the strips and straddle the filaments, tearing or rupture of the strips at their points of anchorage will be efiectively prevented, and the strips will be reliably secured ound as long as requir Also, if it be desired to apply the same strip to more than one place on the ground, the presence of the filaments adjacent the edges of the strip will resist rupture thereof when pulled up from the ground.

These mulch sheets or strips may not only be placed between rows of growing seeds or plants to prevent growth of weeds and store moisture and heat adjacent the plants, but also may be used as a cover for growing seeds or plants.

. It 'Wlll be understood that the invention is not limitedto the specific embodiment shown,

" ridges on the outer paper binding material and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mulch comprising a strip composed of outer layers of strong'toughpaper and an inner layer of waterproof material, filaments embedded in the inner layer and extending parallel to the longitudinal edges of the strip ut spaced inwardly therefrom to allow trimof the strip outward of the filaments forming visible layers.

2. A mulch comprising a laminated strip composed of an inner layer of bituminous faced on both surfaces with outer layers of paper adhering to said inner layer, reenforcin filaments held in the inner layer and exten ing parallel to the longitudinal edges of the strip but spacedinwardly therefrom, said filaments forming visible ridges on the outer 1pilafiebrila ers. WIL FLOBING.

ming the edges filaments, said to the 

